Let Her Cry
by LadiSmilePretty
Summary: Too many questions with too many answers. Answers, that given his current situation, would not change anything. Wrong time, wrong place, or something stupid like that.


**My version of a song fic, this one is inspired by Hootie and the Blow Fish's 'Let her Cry'. Just a little something I've been working on and I finally finished it. As always I don't own a damn thing, unfortunately. But please please, let me know what you think! **

* * *

He didn't tell Sam where he was going. He couldn't. Sam would ask too many questions. Why was he going to Minnesota when he should be in bed in South Dakota? Why would he drive all night? Why did he take one of Bobby's junkers instead of the Impala? Why hasn't he gotten out of the car? Why didn't he just say something already? What would he even say if she saw him?

Too many questions with too many answers. Answers, that given his current situation, would not change anything. Wrong time, wrong place, or something stupid like that.

Dean had been sitting in the puke green Ford Taurus for over two hours, his eyes never leaving the front door of the bar. He didn't even know why he was still there. The reasons why he came here in the first place were dwindling quickly as the seconds passed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes, 'I should just turn the car on and leave.' He kept telling himself, but in two hours and forty three minutes he hadn't actually made an attempt to go.

At 3:34 AM Jo Harvelle finally stepped out of the bar. Dean almost jumped out of the car to catch her, but she wasn't alone. She stood, illuminated under the only street lamp light in the parking lot, with some tall, dark haired man. Dean felt his stomach drop and simultaneously jump to his throat. He watched the man carefully, 'You lay one finger on her..' He threatened the man in his head. He didn't know what he would do, in all honesty. He knew Jo could take care of herself, and would probably kill him if he interfered anyway.

So Dean just watched.

He watched Jo flip her hair over her shoulder, laughing at something the man had said, putting a hand on his bicep as she smiled up at him with that beautiful toothy grin that would always put Dean's stomach in knots. The man put a hand on Jo's hip and Dean wanted to kill him. He wanted to rip his arm from his socket and beat him with it, but instead he sighed. He had no claim over her, she wasn't his girlfriend, they were barely even friends. He couldn't even call her when he said he would. He didn't deserve to be here.

* * *

At a quarter to one an ugly old Ford sedan pulled up across the street from the bar Jo was working in. The headlights of the car had cut in through the blinds covering the window and caught her attention. She frowned recognizing the driver instantly, even without his trademark Impala. How could she not? Every time the bell above the door would ring, signaling a new customer, she would look up, hoping beyond anything that it would be him. It never was, she knew it wouldn't be, but her heart would not give up, even though her brain had long ago.

"You waitin' for someone?" Nick, the closing bartender, asked her, noticing her tenth glance at the window in as many minutes. "A date or something?" Nick bowed his head, his black hair falling in front of his eyes, hiding the slight blush on his cheeks.

"No," Jo scoffed turning her back on the window. "No, just thought I saw someone I knew."

The rest of the night was slow. She only had to kick Johnny out once that night, thankfully. She couldn't deal with him a third or fourth time. Not tonight.

Once the bar was finally closed up and clean, Nick held the door open for her, "I'll walk you to your car." He offered with a kind smile.

It wasn't strange for Nick to walk her to her out after a shift, it wasn't even out of the ordinary. Every time they closed together, and Jo mostly closed, he would walk her to her car and, of course, ask her out. He had been trying, very gallantly, Jo had to admit, for the better part of four months. He was a nice enough guy, almost too nice. She still said no every time he asked. But it didn't hurt to flirt right?

Jo smiled up brightly at Nick, touching his arm, twirling her hair, giggling at one of his stories, completely aware of their lone audience member. Jo even let Nick's fingers graze her hip. She could practically see the steam coming out of Dean's ears from across the street.

"Well, I better get going," Jo said gesturing toward the old station wagon behind her.

"Oh, yeah," Nick almost jumped back, "You know I was wondering. What are you doing this weekend?" He asked nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh, I'm busy, sorry. I told my Mom I'd go and visit her." It wasn't a lie, not really, she was seeing her mom this weekend, but it certainly wouldn't be considered a visit when they were hunting down a werewolf. "Rain check?" She smiled putting her hand lightly on his forearm.

Nick looked suddenly stunned, "Uh, yeah, yeah, that sounds great." He backed up to his car, "I guess I'll talk to you later."

Jo waved at him as she got in her car. She glanced at the Ford across the street in her review mirror. He had turned the car on, she could see the exhaust billowing behind its back bumper like a dirty cloud in the cold Minnesota air. She pursed her lips as she put her own car in drive and headed toward her apartment.

He followed, just like she knew he would.

* * *

He didn't mean to put the car in drive. He certainly didn't want to follow her the short way to what she called an apartment. The small studio could hardly be considered a shoebox let alone an apartment. Dean could have turned down any of the streets they passed and return back to Sioux Falls. But he didn't. He followed the tail lights of an old station wagon religiously.

Even when he knew she was going in circles to shake him, he still followed.

* * *

Jo slumped in her seat, it was the fifth time down Maple Ave, the third time passing her apartment and he was still two cars behind her. Always two cars behind. _What does he want?_ She thought to herself, and then scowled angrily with even the small inquiry, _He could have come in at the bar instead of all this bullshit. I'm over it! _ She tried to persuade herself.

Exhausted of the stupid cat and mouse game they were playing, she was done. She took a short cut down one of the streets and turned back down hers. She parked her car on the street in front of her building and without sparing a glance at the Ford that had pulled up across the street, she clutched her purse in her fist and opened her car door to get out.

Jo turned as quickly as she could, determined to ignore him, as she marched up the walk. _He can sit in there all night, _She thought deciding she didn't care.

She could feel the chill in the air as a winter breeze blew through the thin fabric of her hoodie. _He'll freeze out here._ She thought as she stomped on the cement, each step sounding louder and louder in her ears. _I can't let him stay out here. _Her brain had decided for her as another gust of cold air stabbed at her exposed skin. _No, _She scolded herself, _No, he can get frost bite for all I care_. She swung the heavy wood door with the ornate yellow and purple stained glass mosaic of the Vikings football team. Her landlord was extremely proud of himself for purchasing such a fine piece of art. Another burst of wind and she caved, she held the door open and hung her head. _God dammit! _

* * *

Dean watched as she made a beeline for the door, her hips swaying back and forth, and then she stopped just as suddenly as she had started.

She held the door open with one hand, her heavy purse in the other. She hung her head before she looked over her shoulder at him.

She turned catching the door with her foot and crossed her arms over her chest, "Well?" She asked, "Are you coming inside or what?"

Dean smirked in spite of himself, in spite of the deal, in spite of hell hounds and damnation. In spite of everything. _She doesn't hate me,_ was all he thought as he yanked the keys from the ignition and wrenched the car door open.

* * *

"Hey Jo," His voice washed over her like wet warm sand from the ocean tide. "How've ya been?"

_This was a bad idea. _"Better than you." She retorted, "Come on inside," She tilted her head towards the light emanating from the lobby of the building, "It's cold out here." Jo took a good look at him, he had the jacket he always wore, but underneath she could swear that was a new flannel. When the wind picked up she could smell the aftershave he had put on and he was wearing his good jeans. _This is a very bad idea._

Dean rubbed his hands together as if emphasizing her point, "Yeah, sure." He nodded and followed her inside.

* * *

Dean could have said a million different things. Hell, he had. To different women, in different towns, a hundred different times, but "Yeah, sure," was all he could manage. His stomach was tied in knots and he had no clue how his feet were moving on their own. _This is a bad idea._

He followed her silently up the three flights to her apartment.

_Not a bad view though_, he thought watching her hips swing from the right to the left and back again. He shook his head trying to look at anything but her ass. _This is a very bad idea._

Finally, when Dean thought the silence would crush them all she stopped at a door and pulled out her keys, opened the door and let Dean in.

"Wow, this is... well, this is kind of small." Dean commented looking around the sparse room. The entrance was through the small kitchen with the small island with room for only one stool. Past that was a living room, long enough to fit a love seat, a double size mattress, and an old TV that sat across from the couch.

Jo shrugged, "I don't need much." She threw her bag on the island and locked the door behind her. "What are you doing here Dean?"

_What am I doing here?_ "Well, I came to see how you were doing."

* * *

"Bullshit." There it was, the millisecond of a quick wide eyed look Jo was shooting for. Of course he recovered fast, faster than most, but he was still lying.

"Aren't you going to test me or something?" Dean asked irritatedly, "I could be possessed."

"What demon possess a man with an expiration date?" Jo spat back at him, moving for the freezer and pulling out a bottle of whiskey. "Plus, if you were possessed wouldn't you have come into the bar, instead of sitting out in a car for three hours." She raised an eyebrow at him as she slid a shot glass toward him.

Dean waved on the whiskey.

* * *

The amber liquid burned a trail down his throat, still he waved on another shot. The second one always went down smoother than the first. "So you know about the deal I take it?" He asked almost rhetorically as he took a seat in the lone stool.

Jo leaned her hands on the counter, "Who doesn't know about the deal? Every demon I've killed in the last month has bragged about it." She shrugged, "But if it'll make you feel better, I have no problem cutting you."

Dean smirked, _Okay, so she's pissed, but she doesn't hate me, _"I got it."

Jo handed him a silver knife and a dish towel, "Don't get blood on my counter."

Dean dragged the knife across his forearm and dabbed at the blood with the towel, "Holy water?"

Jo pointed to his empty shot glass, "In the whiskey."

Dean raised his eyebrows, _She's learning. _

* * *

He was impressed and she wanted to punch him in his face."I'm not an amateur anymore."

Dean smirked at her and her stomach rolled up to her throat, _Damn him and that stupid smirk._ "You any better with poltergeists?"

Jo smiled in spite of her anger. "Why are you here, Dean?" She asked again meeting his gaze.

* * *

_There's that question again._ "I told you, I came to check up on you." He ran a hand threw his hair, "Me and Sam were working a job near by and I'd thought I'd come and see how you were doing. Is that such a crime?"

Jo narrowed her eyes at him. _She knows,_ he thought in a panic. He ran a hand threw his hair as she took a shot continuing to watch him. "What kind of job?" She asked clearing her throat, resuming her lean on the counter.

"Oh uh, you know. Just a.. uh, ghost. Up north." _This is the worst lie ever. If she didn't know already, she does now._ Dean busied himself taking another shot.

"Uh huh," Jo nodded taking the bottle from him and pouring one for herself. She looked up at him with that toothy grin that always made Dean's stomach flip. "I bet it was a tough one."

_Maybe she's buying it after all. _

* * *

_He must think I'm fucking stupid. Really? A ghost up north? Idiot._ Jo thought to herself as she smiled and asked all about this fake job Dean had. Asking all sorts of questions about this and that, and Jo had to give it to him, he was good on his feet, always having an answer. Never mind that it was all bullshit, he still had something to say. _Go on Dean, dig a bigger grave._ "And where's the Impala?"

"It's with Sam." He replied without hesitation.

Jo smirked to herself, "And Sam is?"

"At Bobby's." Dean's eyes widened, realizing the information he had given away. He narrowed his eyes at Jo.

Jo smiled and nodded at him, "Now, why are you here?"

He bowed his head before he finally looked up at her and Jo physically straightened when she saw the look in his sea-green eyes.

* * *

Something clicked when he looked at her. Leaning on the counter by the palms of her hands, her blonde hair hung in waves below her shoulders, still wild from the wind outside. When she stood up straight the light played against her hair like a crooked halo and he remembered why he came in the first place.

* * *

He shrugged nonchalantly, immediately making her uncomfortable against the rush of tension that had entered the room. "I came to see you." He met her eyes again. "I don't have long."

Jo nodded slowly, _Only a few weeks, that is, if the demons were telling the truth,_ "How long?" She whispered, afraid to know the actual amount.

"Four days."

Jo felt like she had been punched in the gut. She hugged her stomach with one hand and covered her mouth with the other, backing away from the counter. Her breathing was quick and she couldn't calm down. _That's not enough! That's not enough time! _Her brain kept shouting.

* * *

Dean wanted to run to her, grab her up in his arms and never let her go. But he knew he shouldn't. _Let her catch her breath,_ he reminded himself as he struggled to stay on that stool. Only when her breathing finally slowed did he ease himself over to her, pulling her by her hip to wrap his arms around her.

* * *

Jo couldn't take her eyes off him. _How could he do this? _She kept thinking, _how could he sell his soul and leave all those that love him behind. Knowing that they know he's in Hell!_ _Asshole, coming here and telling me this..._ Her pain and anguish that had flooded through her quickly burned their way into anger. _Selfish dick._

Her breathing slowed the angrier she got. She looked down at the tiled floor as she put her hands on her hips. She only looked up when she felt his fingers ghost over hers and pull her to him. Her brows furrowed and she pushed at his chest. He slid to the side knowingly, _He knew I would hit him._

* * *

The second Dean saw the fire in her eyes he was sure Jo was going to hit him. Of course he knew, he loved her after all. That's why he came. She was why he came. And he wasn't lying before, he did want to see her, needed to see how she was, he had to check up on her. All those things. Just one more time.

The more Jo resisted the closer Dean pulled her. Jo pummeled his chest with her small fists, but with all her fury he knew with out a doubt it wasn't her full strength.

"I know, I know," He murmured into her hair, "I'm sorry."

After awhile her arms tired and she stilled in his arms. Jo looked up at him with tears rimming her perfect bourbon colored eyes.

* * *

Jo beat on his chest though the exhaustion of the night caught up with her soon enough.

_I hate him. _She thought as she toyed with a button on his shirt, slowly spinning it around and around. His arms tightened around her. Her heart swelled at the pressure and immediately broke again. She bit her lip trying to keep the lump in her throat down and the tears out of her eyes, but it was useless. _I love him._ She looked up at him taking a deep breath.

* * *

_This is why you shouldn't have come,_ Dean reprimanded himself. _You're just going to hurt her and make her cry._ He looked away from her, he couldn't take it. Couldn't look at the damage he had caused.

* * *

Jo's brows furrowed as he looked away and a tear ran down her cheek, rounding its way under her jaw. "Why are you here?" She asked, her voice cracking. _He can't even look at me. _"Why did you come here Dean?" She pushed at his chest lightly and his arms disappeared. Jo felt empty without them there. She took a step back, leaning against the counter again.

Dean leaned against the fridge. Not saying anything. He just stared at her. Jo shook her head as she pinched the bridge of her nose. _Jesus Christ, he's never going to answer the question. _"Dean," Jo groaned as another minute passed, "Please, just say something."

"I can't." Dean shook his head, his shoulders sagging with an unspoken weight. He stared down at his shoes, "It'll just be easier if I don't."

* * *

_Look at her, you can't tell her. All you did is tell her your expiration date and she's heartbroken. I can't hurt her. _Dean argued with himself watching her lean against the counter. His back touched the fridge and he shoved his hands in his pockets. She wasn't the kid Dean had first met, that's for sure. She wore her pride in her stance, the way she walked, in everything. She was gorgeous.

Jo's nails clacked against the counter top. _Come on dude, you gotta say something. She deserves to know. _Sam's voice flitted though Dean's thoughts.

Dean groaned inwardly, _Fuck, why does he have to be right?! _Dean met her eyes, the fire in them returning. "Dean?!" She snapped, "Please, just say something."

_Fuck. _"I can't." _It'll be better if she doesn't know, if she never knows._ "It'll just be easier if I don't," He sighed running a hand through his hair.

"Easier for who?" Jo growled, "For you or me?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

Dean could feel Jo's fire, it was contagious. "For you!" Dean bellowed. "Of course, you." He said a bit softer remembering his surroundings.

* * *

_Un-fucking-believable. _"You drove hundreds of miles." Jo deadpanned. "In a Ford Taurus."

Dean shut his eyes at the reminder of the stupid green car. "Yeah," He sighed.

"And you're not going to tell me the real reason why you came." Jo stated. "I just want to get this straight, because right now you sound like a giant pussy." She spat at him.

* * *

_Well she's not wrong._ Dean nodded slowly as he looked down at his shoes. _What are you going to do about it? _

Dean didn't stop to think, more like couldn't stop. If he did he would never work up the courage again.

He reached out and grabbed her by the arms, crashing his mouth onto hers.

* * *

Jo didn't even pause before she responded. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers raking through his short hair. She was vaguely aware of the counter digging into her lower back, it didn't matter though. None of it mattered. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her so close she could have sworn the were one person. His air, her air, his hands, her hands, his lips, her lips, none of it mattered. This was life, pure happiness, whatever she was doing before was a poor substitute. The world could have collapsed around her and she wouldn't have noticed.

Dean pulled away first, placing a hand on her chest, just above her heart, to still her. She felt like she was dying, she couldn't breathe, "What?" She panted. He was a drug and she was hooked. _Fuck,_ she thought as her heart suddenly woke up and started to take over her actions. _Four days, _ her brain reminded her heart.

* * *

_What is wrong with you?! _Dean chastised himself, _You don't want to hurt her, so you kiss her. _Dean put a hand on Jo's chest to push her away, her heart hammered against his palm.

"What?" Jo practically whispered, her voice breathy and full of rasp. Dean could feel the sound of it travel up his spine.

_You have to tell her, _"Jo," Dean almost hummed as he brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I love you." He admitted shrugging his shoulders. "That's it, that's why I came."

Jo nodded, tears once again filling her eyes.

* * *

"I love you." _Four days. _

A thousand memories rushed to mind. Something about wrong times, and wrong places, or something stupid like that. None of it mattered. Jo nodded. _Four days._ But that didn't matter either, her heart had already decided. "I love you too."

* * *

Dean could feel his chest swell at her admission. He pulled her in his arms again, his lips catching hers, as he tried his best to steer her toward the bed.

His brain would try to remind him every so often about the tears that were inevitably going to fall. The farther he went, the longer he stayed, the more there would be. But as she looked up at him with a fire he hadn't seen before he couldn't help but think, _let her cry,_ as she pulled him down for another searing kiss.

* * *

**So? What'd you think? Go ahead, scroll down, type me up a little sumthin'-sumthin'. You get a story, I get a review, and we're all happy.**


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